Strap-fastener.



PATENTED OCT. 29. 1907.

A. MAINS.

` STRAP FASTENER.

/INVENTOH EE URGE AMAINS.

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APPLICATION FILED PEB. 16, 1907.

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GEORGE A. MAINS, OF THOMPSON, MONTANA.

STRAP-FASTENER.

No. 869 ,866. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Oct. 29, 1907'.

Application led February 16. 1907. Serial No. 357,751.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. MArNs, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Thompson, in the county of Sanders and State oi' Montana,have invented an Improved Strap-Fastener, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention is an improvement in strap fasteners, especially designedfor use in securing mail pouches, such as are commonly used in carryingUnited States mail; and the invention consists in certain novelconstructions and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter describedand claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of my invention as inuse. Fig. 2 is a cross section on about line 2-2 of Fig. l, the lockbeing removed to release the cover plate. Fig. 3 is a similar sectionwith the cover plate thrown open. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view ofthe fastener', with the cover plate thrown open in position to permitthe stra-p to be drawn freely through the base plate and the coverplate. Fig. 5 is a cross section of the fastener with the strap applied,the cover plate being shown released in full lines, and dotted linesbeing employed to indicate the cover plate put under tension and thelock applied.

My fastener as shown comprises a base plate A, and a cover plate B, saidplates being preferably similarly curved from end to end, so they willconform in a degree to the curvature of the neck of apouch when appliedthereto, and theisaid base plate and cover plates are provided withslots for the passage of the tree end of the strap C, the said strapbeing secured at one end at C/ to the base plate A at a point aboutmidway beerably formed by bending the plate at one Wall of the slot ll,and such rib or projection operating by pressing the strap into theopening I3 to aid in binding the same, and thus improving the lockingqualities of the fastener when the same is closed, as indicated indotted lines in Fig. 5. The rib or projection l0 being thus formed onone of the plates A or B, and the opening 13 forming a seat in which thestrap may be pressed by the action of the said rib, I provide thissupplemental locking means comprising the rib or projection on oneplate, and the seat in the other plate, said parts being formed on theproximate faces of the plates, as will be understood from Figs. 4 and 5of the drawings,

In the operation of the invention, the strap may be passed around theneck of a pouch, being disposed through the slots l and 2 of the baseplate, thence around the hinged end of the fastener, and thence throughthe slots ll and l2, and when the parts are adjusted to the positionshown in Fig. 4 with the cover plate open, the strap may be drawn freelythrough the fastener in either direction for adapting its loop to fitaround the neck of a pouch and then for tightening it on said neck, aswill be understood from the said Fig. 4. After the strap has been drawnto the desired degree of tightness, the cover plate may be partiallyclosed to the position shown in Fig. 5, thus holding the strap, and thetongue A will protrude partly through the opening B/ in the coversection. Then, the free end of the cover section may be put undertension by pressing it to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 5, thusincreasing the force with which the strap will be held by the bindingthereof between the plates A and tween the ends of the same, as shown inFigs. 2, 3 and 5. The cover plate B is hinged at one end Bf to one endof the base plate A, and the latter is provided at its other or free endwith an outwardly projecting tongue A which when the fastener' isclosed, protrudes through an opening B2 in the cover plate near the freeend of the latter, and is perforated at a/ to receive the shackle ol apad lock D, as will be understood from Figs. l and 5 ol the drawings.The base plate A.is provided with a cross-bar and on opposite sidesthereof with slots or openings l and 2 for the passage of the strap O,and the walls oi' said openings l and 2 may be slightly defiected at 3,as best shown in Figs. 4 and 5, to ease the passage of the strap throughthe said slots, and the strap C is passed from the inner side of thebase plate A through the opening l, thence back through the opening 2,and thence around the hinged end of the fastener and brought over theiront side of the cover plate and passed thence through slots ll and l2in the cover plate.

Between the slots l1 and l2, the cover plate is provided on its innerside with a rib or projection l0 and B, and a lock D may have itsshackle passed through the opening o. in the tongue A/ to hold thefastener under tension and to lock the parts in the dotted line positionshown in Fig. 5, and in the full line position illustrated in Fig. l, inwhich there is no danger of the strap slipping back through thefastener.

The construction is simple, easily applied for use, can be readilyoperated to permit the tightening of the strap around the neck of thepouch to any desired extent, and may then be easily closed and locked.

It will be noticed that when the cover is thrown open as shown in Fig.3, and then is adjusted to the position shown in Fig. 5, that the strapWill be drawn through the openings l and 2 of the base plate, and allslack in the strap surrounding the neck ofthe pouch will be taken up andthe strap will be tightened around the neck in such manner as to holdthe same tightly closed when the fastener is adjusted to the positionshown in Figs. l and 5.

I claim:

1. vA strap fastener having a base plate provided between its ends withslots for the passage of a strap, and also having an opening forming aseat for a rib or prothe base plate A has, opposite said rib orprojection l0, an opening 13, the said rib or projection l() being prefijection on a cooperating plate, and having at one end of said base platean outwardly projecting tongue provided with a perforation for thepassage of a lock, a cover plate hinged at one end to the end of saidbase plate opposite the outwardly projecting tongue, and provided nearits free end with an opening through which said tongue may protrude, andhaving between its ends openings for the passage of a strap, and betweensaid openings a rib or projection opposite the seat in the base plate,and a strap secured to the base plate about midway between its ends vanddisposed thence through the openings in the base plate and around thehinged end of the fastener and thence through the openings in the coverplate, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. A strap fastener or buckle, substantially as herein described,comprising a base plate having a cross bar and provided ,on oppositesides thereof with openings, a

[cover plate hinged at one end to one end of the base secured at one endto the base plate, midway between the ends of the latter, the base platebeing provided on opposite sides of the point of connection of the strapwith openings through which the other e'nd of the strap may be E laced,and passed thence around the hinged end of the buckle, and the coverplate being provided with openings spaced apart. and through which thereturn end of the strap may be laced, the said cover plate beingprovided between its said openings with an inwardly projecting lug 3 orportion to bind upon the strap when the buckle is closed, and means forholding the buckle closed, substantially as set forth.

4. A buckle comprising a main plate, and a cover plate, and a strapsecured at one end to the main plate, the said 4 main plate and coverplate being provided with openings through which the return end of thestrap is laced, when the buckle is closed, and means for holding thebuckle closed, substantially as set forth.

5. A fastener or buckle for straps, consisting of a base f plate, and acover plate hinged together at one end, and provided with means forsecuring the other ends oi the plates when the buckle is closed, thesaid plates having spaced apart openings, and a strap secured at one endto the base plate and laced at its free end through the 5i spaced apartopenings in the base plate, and thence around the hinge and through thespaced apartopenings in the cover plate, all substantially as and forthe purposes' set forth.

GEORGE A. MAINS. Witnesses SoLoN C. KEMoN, PERRY B. TUnPlN.

